Laying Siege
by Mr. Omelette
Summary: [Semi-FlashFic] It's not everyday the infinity symbol appears after casting a tempus spell. In fact, it's never supposed to happen. Not unless something weird was going on. No Pairings (yet). No Weasleys. EWE
1. Chapter 1

11:22AM – -38 to HOUR 00

She knew something was wrong the moment her _tempus_ spell showed the infinity symbol. Knowing how things went on around here, it's probably Harry-related too. Murphy's Law and all that.

Two years after Tom's defeat and, well, the few of the still-living Hogwarts students decided to finish their magical schooling, with Hogwarts being newly rebuild and all. Not many students returned after the war, but those who did were composed mostly of 1st year students and 5th to 7th year students. In Hermione's year, twenty-three of the original forty returned for their last year in school. Actually, it's been pretty sweet with the way thing have been of late, well, sweet in terms of a rebuilding society in the aftermaths of a civil war, but yes, sweet.

Okay, to sum things up for this story's start: a slow, cool Hogsmeade weekend in mid-November, a relatively quiet Hogwarts, and one Hermione Granger telling off one Harry Potter for falling off of his broom for doing stupid stunts in the Quidditch pitch. Everything you'd expect from a day as good as this. Madam Pomfrey, who couldn't help but eavesdrop, was smirking on her work desk, seeing their savior squirm at the tirade of their brightest. Everything was fine. Everything's normal. That is, until, Hermione finished up her rant and cast a _tempus_ spell (because her schedule was most certainly jumbled now, considering the amount of time she spent worrying over her best friend in the infirmary-who just recently gained consciousness after not waking up for two and half hours, mind you)

"Well that's not something you see every day." Hermione commented.

Harry, who was still light-headed, "I've never seen that before."

"That's the infinity symbol." Harry ahhed at her, "Why is that something we're not supposed to see every day?" For one thing, a slightly concussed Harry is an inquisitively childish-sounding Harry.

Hermione pursed her lips, "That's because the infinity symbol would, theoretically, only appear on a very meticulously controlled environment. I'm not really that well-versed in quantum physics, and I've just recently returned to magical mathematics, but according to one theory–"

And Harry had to groan because Hermione trying to explain it was a bit too much, much more so now, with his slight concussion. "Hermione, in English."

The brunette chuckled, "Sorry. Look, I'm pretty sure it's nothing. I probably casted it wrong. Here," she waved her wand, carefully this time, and, still, the infinity symbol showed up.

The raven-haired young man frowned, "Lemme," he grabbed his wand, "_Tempus._" And just like Hermione's, it too showed the infinity symbol.

"You know, Hermione," Harry tried to sit up, but Hermione pushed him back to his cot because he had just been dosed with a Skele-Gro potion, "Knowing my luck, should we be worried about this?"

"You have to lie down, Harry. Honestly, do you want me to stun you?" she looked at the glowing infinity symbol above them, "And if you really think this is important, I'm not sure," she sat down on the chair she was sitting on earlier, "I have scenarios in my head that could explain why it's showing like that, but, they all sound preposterous."

"Don't doubt the Harry Potter luck, Hermione." He gave him that look.

"Even with your… er… luck, it still sounds ludicrous. For example, that," she pointed to the symbol, "could mean that we're in Armageddon. Or Father Time decided that we've run out of time. "

Harry knew what that mean, "Is that possible? That the world is ending today?"

Hermione scoffed, "Harry, I don't believe in such things."

And their conversation was interrupted by the audible pop of someone arriving: a house elf and Lisa Turpin were trying to support a limping Professor Bathsheda Babbling, the professor's skin covered in blackened pustules of something.

"Help!" the female Ravenclaw called out.

Hermione was immediately on her side, yelling for Madam Pomfrey.

"What happened?" the aged Matron asked to the near hysterical Ravenclaw.

"I was with Professor Babbling on our way to the school's magical core,"

Hermione was levitating the professor to a cot near Harry, "You were what?"

"Yes, she promised me that she'd show me what a magical building's core would look like, and when we were getting there, we heard voices coming from the core's room."

Madam Pomfrey was checking on the pustules, listening to Lisa Turpin's story.

"I thought the Hogwart's core room was hidden from the public?" Hermione asked, then catching Harry's look, "_Hogwarts: A History_, Harry, you should try reading it sometime. Now hush."

"It was supposed to, because allegedly only the current headmaster had the power make it appear, Professor Babbling even had to have the permission of the headmistress to access it, but when we get there, not only did we hear voices, but the entire place including the protective wards themselves were busted open, and there were _people_ inside. I don't know what they were doing in there, but I recognized the _Hymn of the Arithmancer_ being cast."

"In English?" Harry was sitting on his bed.

"It's a spell arithmeticians and curse breakers use, Harry," she saw him sitting, and with one look, he laid back again, "It's a spell designed to show the mathematical composition of anything it's cast on. Sort of like, projecting a 3D model of a chemical structure of what it's cast on. You remember your sciences, right?" Harry nodded.

Hermione plucked a single lock of her hair, pointed her want at it, and spoke something in Latin. Suddenly, different colored glyphs and formulas and runes appeared in front of her, hovering in the air, it spiraled around Hermione before settling into a four foot line. "Like this, Harry. This is the mathematical equation of a single lock of my hair, a magical core is obviously more complex than my hair, and is essentially much longer than this." She indicated the string of symbols around her. Turning to Lisa, "So what happened?"

"Professor Babbling told me to stay outside and went in, she must've seen something bad because she got very angry and started casting spells when she saw the _Hymn _being sung."

The Professor in question started to talk. "Poppy…" her voice was raspy and strained.

"Stop talking Babs," the school nurse said, "you'll tire easily," casting diagnostic spell after diagnostic spell. She then went for her office, grabbing a few potions.

"Intruders…" she coughed, "They're still… here."

"WHAT?!" Harry and Hermione screamed simultaneously.

The disease-ridden doctor, pointed for Hermione, and young woman went to her side.

"Hermione… I've… bonded my soul with… the school's magical core."

"Professor! But only the headmistress is given that type of clearance…" then, she seemed to have realized something, "Wait, if what you say is true… and you're like this, then…"

Lisa Turpin straightened tensely, "Professor Babbling…" Both female students looked at the injured professor, "You don't mean..."

"I think…" a cough, "we're under attack."


	2. Chapter 2

11:18 AM – -42 to HOUR 00

"C'mon," Professor Bathsheda Babbling walked briskly, with a little spring in every other step she took. One of her star students was behind her, trying to keep up with her professor's pace.

The older witch was very excited because even _she herself_ hasn't seen it yet. They followed the Headmistress' directions, and just when they'd passed the statue of the Alchemist Prince, they heard voices. Muffled voices coming from a room whose door was probably _bombarda maxima_-ed open.

The two witches looked at each other, until the older one spoke, "Stay here, I've got a bad feeling about this."

0-0-0-0-0

Lisa Turpin was, for all intents and purposes, very scholarly, not easily frightened but not very brave either. It was still shocking her knowing that she fought with everyone during the Final Battle in Hogwarts. Anyway, everyone in her year considered her as Hermione Granger's rival when it came to the schools educational hierarchy. Not that Lisa hated their Head Girl, because she's respected Hermione's genius even before they got admitted in Hogwarts. Yes, she was well acquainted with Hermione given the number of national math contests and spelling bees she attended with her. They'd each represented their schools, and when pitted nationally against Hermione, Lisa would win on very few occasions, and most of those rare occurrences were when Hermione herself would make a mistake.

During her first train trip to Hogwarts, she'd met Hermione, apparently asking if she's seen Neville Longbottom's toad. They recognized each other, and had a stiff but interesting conversation.

"'84." The bushy-haired girl told her, recognizing, "Forgot that 'traverse' had an 'e' at the end. You took the trophy with 'simultaneous,' I recall." Her tone had respect in it, and a little bit of taunt to it, which Lisa always liked. She's long accepted that Hermione was a rival of hers, somewhat.

Lisa nodded, "I lost to you in that math contest in '87."

Hermione leaned on the door's frame, still holding the compartment door, "I'm actually not that surprised we're both witches."

Lisa scrunched her nose, "I liked the term 'sorceress' more. But I think you need to have a license for that. Lisa Turpin," they shook hands, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced." Lisa was trying to do everything those pureblood etiquette books said when acting around people, just so she could fit in more in a different culture. Though it wasn't until her fellow muggleborns started to get petrified during her second year that Lisa decided that the pureblood etiquette were for snobby bullies, effectively dropping everything she learned from those books after seeing one Draco Malfoy during those days.

"It was nice seeing you too." There was a moment that passed between them, "So, have you seen that toad?"

What surprised Lisa more was the fact that the Hat had placed Hermione in Gryffindor. But since she was really that excited to _learn magic_, and being _around_ smart people, well, she kinda forgot about the smart Gryffindor until their class rankings was owled to her that summer before second year. She placed second, trailing just behind Hermione and coming so close to be defeated by one Theodore Nott.

0-0-0-0-0

Lisa was leaning on a wall. After Professor Babbling entered the room, she heard someone shouting. She wanted to take a peek, but suddenly, there were spells, misfired probably, coming out from the room. When she saw that familiar, eerie-looking green spell come out from the place, she tensed.

"Profe–" her voice was almost inaudible as she was slowly creeping for the door. There was something got thrown out of the room, and Lisa couldn't believe her eyes when she saw that it was her professor. The once lithe-bodied older witch was now covered in dark pustules, her left arm bent in a very painful angle. Lisa saw something–a man–exit the castle's core room his wand pointed threateningly at her teacher's form.

She had locked eyes with Bathsheda Babbling, and her eyes told Lisa to run, but something within her just… clicked and she launched herself to tackle the man. Her sudden arrival, and her pushing him, was enough of a distraction for her to grab her injured teacher.

"House elf!" she called desperately. She read about this in a clause of an unedited version of _Hogwarts: A History_ given by Michael Corner, the version before Dumbledore's term as headmaster, that upon imminent danger, a house elf can be called upon to bring the student in question to safety. She wasn't sure if it would work, and she had no idea how she remembered that specific memory, but it's not like she had a plethora of options to choose from. Fortunately, not a second more, one popped in. Lisa saw the house elf look at the man who was reaching for his fallen wand, and the elf went straight at her and the older witch's form. The man, who had a cross-shaped scar on his cheek, finally reached his wand, threw a highly deadly curse towards their direction, but they were already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

11:25AM – -35 to HOUR 00

Hermione was looking at the Ancient Runes teacher, being treated by Madam Pomfrey under closed curtains. Lisa was telling her what happened, Harry listening intently.

"Do you think they're..."

Lisa shook her head, "Not death eaters; he was wearing a sleeveless shirt and he didn't possess Voldemort's dark mark. But I'm more worried about Professor Babbling being like that now that she's bonded with the school's core."

"Why?"

"Because, Harry, tying your own magical core into another magical core, specifically one of a physical building, is not only sharing your magical reserves with it, in a way, you will share _everything_ with the building_._ Your mood swings affect how the place would run itself, the structure's physical depreciation would be physically evident on your physiology, and, if I'm not mistaken, it even grants you some sort of omniscience in the place. This is why Head of Houses rarely get sick during disease outbreaks, because their health is easily tied to the current state of their home's physicality. Why do you think Malfoy's manor was still being kept in a pristine condition all this time? Or how Lucius Malfoy looked _a little _disheveled during his trial after _two months in Azkaban_? Heck, look at Hogwarts, being magically bound as just a Head of House is enough to provide that Head a good resilience against most diseases; why do you think there hasn't been any recorded outbreak of any illness in the history of the school where the Head of House suffered from being infected? Why do you think headmistress McGonagall survived all those stunners back then? For someone such as Professor Babbling who's recently tied her own magic to the school, her current magical and physical state should be on her _prime_, most especially since it's been done recently. But seeing her like… _this…"_

Lisa finished Hermione's explanation, "It means someone could be messing up with the Arithmacy of the Hogwart's core. Or…"

Harry swung his legs over the bed, but Hermione stopped him, "What're you doing?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak but Hermione didn't let him, "You're still not well, remember that."

"But I can't just…"

Hermione didn't let him finish his sentence, "What're you gonna do in your present condition, Harry?" She stood up, gripping her wand tight in her hand, "I'll call for help, and while they're en route, I'll go check it out."

Harry grabbed his best friend's arm, "No, Hermione. You can't. I won't let you."

She smiled sadly at him before she pointed his want at him, "I'm sorry Harry, but it's not in your control anymore. _Stupefy._" So she stunned him because he was recovering. And Hermione didn't want Harry in trouble again. Harry fell into the bed with a soft _thud. _With Harry unconscious, Hermione checked to see if he was tucked in comfortably; with any luck on their side, everything would be okay when he'd wake up, "Lisa, I want you to stay here. And watch over everyone."

Lisa, despite still being shaken up from earlier, tried to stand strong, "I-I'm… I'm going with you."

Hermione decided against it, "No, Lisa, watch over everyone. What if it wasn't just one intruder, with Madam Pomfrey attending to Professor Babbling, they'd be sitting ducks if someone bursts in on them. I need you as my last line of defense."

Lisa shook her head, "But you can't just go by yourself." She crossed her arms, "Besides, you don't know where it is. The protective wards may have been destroyed but the cloaking wards were still intact, which would mean the only way for you to get there is through me, because I _know_ where it is. I've been there. Me. I'm your quickest way there."

The brunette knew that the Ravenclaw was right; the room was even unseen on Harry's map, and the house elves tied to the school wouldn't dare set foot in the place (because that was one of their ultimate taboos in elfin culture). The only way for her to reach that room was through Lisa, who, being bound by the school's magic, can never tell Hermione the location of said room. The loophole of Lisa's predicament was that while it is impossible for her to tell where it was to anyone, she can go there. If someone was following her near enough, or she was touching someone as they passed through the illusion then the whole essence of the cloaking wards would be nullified.

"Fine, but I think we should alert the Headmistress and the other professors first," because Hermione needed to tell the more qualified people about what's happening, not to mention she needed people who were capable around a situation like this and people whom she could trust, she raised her wand and said, "_Expecto Patronum_!" Hermione's otter leaped from the tip of her wand, but instead of vanishing, just like the times she used it in sending out messages, her Patronus exploded in a bright flash of light as it was about to leave the castle. And seeing that just validated her initial thought that something was definitely going on. Maybe she should alert the Ministry? She conjured up her Patronus again, and just like before, her otter exploded in a bright flash of light. A third attempt produced similar results.

She took a deep breath.

As much as she hated admitting it, (because the more unqualified people dragged in this situation, the more people who could get hurt) but they needed reinforcements. Pulling something out from her pocket, Hermione relented, "Let's try this then." It was probably a good thing that she was pretty sentimental with this trinket, carrying it around her pockets all the time.

Lisa saw her bring out something. It was a galleon. Actually, it looked familiar to Lisa; Padma, Terry and Michael seemed to own something like it. They used to fondle it, especially during those dark times from two years before.

"What's that?"


	4. Chapter 4

11:32AM – -28 to HOUR 00

Hermione wasn't exactly thrilled when only three D.A. members responded to her call. And no Gryffindors too. Well, she doesn't have anything against the other Houses, but, she'll be much more comfortable leading her fellow housemates. Besides, compared to the other Houses, the Grffindor side was well-versed with this kind of thing.

The first one to enter was Michael Corner, who came into the infirmary finding an unconscious Harry Potter and two girls impatiently waiting.

Lisa saw her close friend and went to him, "Michael!" she wrapped her arms around him and felt like sobbing, but she held herself; there would be time for that later.

Michael, while less apathetic as compared to Theodore Nott, for example, was still listless and looked a bit displeased, "I don't suppose this is a social call."

Another voice appeared from behind him and Hermione saw an Asian student in blue. "What is?"

"Su?"

"I saw him leave the library abruptly, without fixing his things, and you know how he is with his stuff." The young girl giggled, "Sorry I spied on you."

"Whatever Su." Michael replied briskly.

Hermione heard that name before, number 5 in her year's academic ranking. Su Li. She wasn't in the D.A. when she was doing it with Harry, but when Neville headed it, she was sure he managed to gather most of their yearmates into the group. Hermione wasn't sure if he managed to recruit Su Li, but she wasn't just gonna take that chance. So, just in case, she should probably stay here for her safety.

Hermione shook her head, "Enough," Lisa realized she was still hugging Michael and blushingly let go.

"We'll make this short." Not because she wanted to be rude or anything, but time was of the essence, "Lisa, tell them the short version."

"The school's under attack."

Michael, raised an inquisitive brow. Su Li pursed her lips, "That's a very bad joke, Lisa."

Hermione, not wanting to waste more time, cut it, "We're not joking. And the more time we try to convince you we're telling the truth is time we could've used in fixing the situation."

"Do you think we can handle this?" Michael Corner asked, and Hermione is now actually starting to like how these Ravens' operated, despite her earlier statement about making the entire debriefing short. Ravenclaws naturally asked questions, and the important ones too. "Because the fact that you called us here means we're somehow up to the task."

"I'm not sure," Hermione looked at Harry's unconscious form and made sure that her spell wouldn't wear off soon. "But as much as I hate to say this, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Help?" Terry Boot entered the infirmary, having followed what his coin said. The second one to respond to Hermione's call.

Lisa quickly explained, and Terry, who noticed Michael looking serious, believed her story.

"Do you think other people will come?" he asked, as the Ravens waited just a little bit longer before they go.

"You can't be serious!" Su Li looked at them like they grew an extra head. "We're just students, do you think we'd stand against someone who did that to a _professor?_" she hissed quietly as she pointed to their Matron still aiding their injured older witch. Which proves Hermione's initial thought, which was Su Li being a little unsuited for this. She should stay in the infirmary. She's probably never seen her fellow Ravenclaws fight during the war. Definitely staying here in the infirmary.

The door opened again, "There's something wrong." A raven-haired Hufflepuff ran to the window and opened it. It was Justin Finch-Fletchley, last one to answer her plea. "I was about to take a shortcut by going to the courtyard, but when I went outside, this happened." He grabbed a pillow from an empty cot and threw it out the window, and then five gasped. The pillow, instead of going out, seemed to go through a portal and spit the pillow back in.

"What's going on?" the curly-haired Hufflepuff asked.

Hermione, who let Lisa fill Justin in, started to thing. "Wait, has anyone checked the time yet?" The question was addressed more to herself, "_Tempus_."

Lisa saw the symbol, "The infinity symbol." The Ravenclaw looked at Hermione and the two witches shouted in tandem, "We're in a space-time distortion."

It sounded familiar to Justin. Probably heard that one from watching one-to-many Doctor Who episodes from the telly, "A what?"

Hermione looked at him, "We're in an enclosed magical pocket plane. You couldn't leave the castle, right?"

He nodded, "Yes, like I said, I tried to take the shortcut from our tower to here because if I didn't I had to go around the school to get here."

"So it's good to hypothesize that the dimensions of this… dimension… are within the castle."

Su Li nodded. She cast a cheering charm out the window, and the spell appeared to bounce back, hitting the ceiling, "So we're trapped."

Hermione's eyes widened. "We're trapped." She looked at them, eyes widen.

"Winky!"

The female house elf appeared, "Yes mistr… Miss Hermione? How can Winky help her mistere… employer?" Being around Hermione, who started to teach her grammar, made Winky's speech improve. Hermione's got this theory that referring to themselves in third person is a biological, elfin trait. Well, Hermione might still be a bit uncomfortable at their slavery but she's coming to understand that they _needed_ a master to serve in order to live, so she had instead revised her S.P.E.W. project into eradicating the _mistreatment_ of elves. She had asked to employ Winky, which visibly cheered the house elf out, right after the war to better understand the house elves. In fact, with Winky's improved diction, Hermione came to realize that house elves didn't give any distinction between free as being unemployed, and free as being independent. That's what Hermione S.P.E.W.'s all about now, giving distinction between the two, because she didn't know that back then. And with the socks she was leaving behind, to them, it was sending out a message that Hermione wanted all the house elves unemployed and dead. Hermione, after finding that out, started to plan ways of giving house elves a right to proper education as well as making them learn that she was fighting for their right to not be mistreated, not to be jobless. That they should have the right to be employed _and_ be treated fairly.

"I need a head count of the entire school; students, teachers and house elves, and–" there was a flash, and Winky fell on the floor with a thud.

Hermione ran to her house elf, "Winky," she tried to cradle her, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Miss Hermione," Winky shakily stood up, "Winky is not hurt, but Winky cannot get out of the castle. Winky was only able to count everyone inside the castle. All of the first years and second years, and with the six of you included, ten seventh years and miss Luna are in the castle right now. There are two professors in the castle, and one nurse. A lot of the house elves are out helping Hagrid with his pets today so there is only Winky and Kreacher inside the castle right now. A magical familiar is sleeping somewhere the castle, but Winky don't know where it is sleeping. Winky also sensed people inside the special room, but Winky was not able to enter because it is forbidden for house elves to enter the special room." The petite elf frowned, "Winky is sorry for not doing what Miss Hermione asked."

Hermione shook her head, "No, thank you Winky. What you did was more than enough, but you should've let me finish first, okay?" the house elf nodded. Then, she looked at the assembled group, "Nothing can get out of the castle, and that means we can't call for help. We already tried," she gave a sparing glance at Su Li, "Considering the infinite symbol on the _Tempus_ spell, it could probably mean that we're in a plane where time is suspended, so…"

"…that means while we're all here planning, and hoping to call for reinforcements, the world outside is in pause. In stasis." Terry Boot continued.

"Actually, that's just the most probable possibility," Lisa commented, "Since we're in a different plane of reality, it could also mean that ten seconds here might be ten days or weeks, even years outside, or it could be the other way around, an hour here will only take ten seconds out there. The only definite thing the infinity symbol indicates is that we are no longer in the premises of any given magical community in the world who practices the Greenwich Mean Time as their official timing scale. Fred Almsay's Arithmatic theory in time displacements states that–"

Justin cleared his throat, "I'm sure you Ravens would love to continue this engaging conversation, but we're getting of topic," he looked at Hermione, "like what the house elf said, most of the teachers are out of the castle. Professor Sprout told me earlier that they were going to Ministry to discuss plans of revising most of the materials in the curriculum here in Hogwarts." He turned to Hermione, "Didn't your house elf say that there were two professors inside the castle?"

Su Li looked at the Head Girl, "I think Professor Vector remained here since, including Professor Babbling, they didn't need to revise their material. Their fields of study are quite possibly of the same standard as the rest of the world." Hermione looked at her, to which Su Li shrugged, "My parents were hesitant sending me back here this time." Not to mention, her dear professor Vector was not as capable of battle as the other teacheres, Hermione thought as she chewed on her nail's thumb.

Michael Corner looked at the group, "So, today was most likely the best time for them to stage the attack, since even the Headmistress isn't here to detect the intruders."

Lisa looked at them, "Not to mention with them being inside the school's core, they've probably done something about Hogwart's natural defenses against them. Most likely hid themselves from the school's radar. Or turned it against us."

"And since today is a Hogsmeade weekend, with most of the students out, it'll be easier for them to take control of the castle." Justin finished.

"Damn, we really _are_ under attack." Terry Boot said.

"So what do we do?" Justin asked. Everyone looked at Hermione's direction; they knew that it was really up to them now and they looked at Hermione for guidance. Of course, they didn't know what the intruders were after, but they sure as hell won't let them get away with it.


	5. Chapter 5

11:38AM – -22 to HOUR 00

"Help…" A voice whispered, making everyone tense, Hermione looked around and saw a rabbit Patronus appear in front of her. She recognized the rabbit and the voice, it was Luna's. "They came inside the Ravenclaw tower, three of them." She sounded out of breath, "I-I managed to take care of one, but the other two overpowered me, and I was forced to retreat to the girl's dormitories since they're all men. So far, they haven't been able to find a way around the natural anti-male ward of our dormitories, because now they're not doing anything. I have most of the female first and second years with me, and I don't know what happened to the boys in the common room." The jittery rabbit settled on Hermione's shoulder, "I tried to send out my Patronus outside the castle, tried to _apparate_ _within_ the castle, but something weird is going on. I reckon a Russian Skolvalv could be doing this, but I have no concrete evidence to support this theory, but I do know that we're trapped." The rabbit leaped to the ground and looked at Hermione, "Whoever's hearing this, my friends, I… I'm running out of options. And I… I need your help." Then, the rabbit vanished.

Hermione looked at them, especially to the assembled Ravens. She wished that someone as strategic as Ronald was here, but she doesn't have the time thinking things like that. She didn't. What she needed to do was think of a plan. Not reminsce. She noticed Winky still lingering around her and she realized something, "Winky, can you try popping in the girl's dormitories in Ravenclaw and get Luna and the other kids here?" The house elf nodded and popped out.

Five seconds later, Winky reappeared with Luna and more than a dozen younger girls huddled around them.

"Winky will go try to save the boys now." But Hermione stopped her, "No, Winky. We don't know what we're dealing with yet, and I can't let you put yourself in harm's way." As proud as she was for seeing Winky this courageous, Hermione wouldn't want to see another Dobby.

"But Dobby-"

"No buts, Winky, as your employer, I command it. For your safety." Winky sighed dejectedly, feeling Hermione's magic enveloping hers. "Yes, Miss Hermione. Winky will do what you command."

A gurgled cough made Hermione tear her gaze away from Winky. Everyone looked around and saw Luna holding a hand over her mouth. Hermione ran to her friend, and saw the bleeding gash on her right shoulder, her pajamas stained in blood. "Luna! You're hurt!"

The blonde Ravenclaw was pale-faced, "Hermione, I'm glad…" she smiled tiredly, "I'm sorry… I couldn't…" she collapsed on her, losing consciousness.

Suddenly, Justin and Terry positioned her to one of the cots. Michael Corner ran to her, and started to look at her injury. Having considered going for a Healer's career, he's already reading up ahead on the materials needed for his pre-Healing requirements, so he was quite capable as a rookie student in the art of Healing. Madam Pomfrey has even started to tutor him, seeing a budding potential in the stoic Ravenclaw. "She lost a lot of blood." He then went for Madam Pomfrey's potion cupboard. "Madam Pomfrey, where do you keep your blood replenishing potions?"

"Blood replenishing… just what're you…" The Matron opened the curtains separating her and the students and saw the assembled students and the injured Miss Lovegood. She saw Miss Granger going for one of the cupboards that kept said potions, "What is going on? What happened to her?"

A shaken up first year spoke, "We were… we were just playing in the common room, and this man… appeared and threw some purple spell at me. If it wasn't for her," she pointed at the Luna Lovegood, "I… don't know what would've happened." She looked like she was about to cry.

Michael Corner patted the child's shoulder, before looking at the school nurse, "The school's under attack."

"What?!" She yelled. Michael then started to explain the situation. But he didn't get to finish it because Madam Pomfrey's first patient needed her attention. "I know this is a bad decision from me as the only senior figure head available in the castle at the moment, especially since I haven't really heard the full story, but Hermione, my patient," she looked at Luna's unconscious form and corrected herself, "…patients need me." She brought out her wand, "To be honest, I have never wanted to do this, but the situation demands it." She pointed her wand at the brunette's badge, "Hermione Jane Granger, as Head Girl of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I, Madam Poppy Pomfrey, Matron of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, place you as interim leader of the school, as stated in Helga Hufflepuff's clause of castle protection. I implore you, young witch; protect this castle, as well as its living inhabitants, until Headmistress Minerva Mcgonagall's imminent return. See to it that no harm come to those bound under Hogwart's magic." Hermione saw her Head Girl badge glow a golden bright shade, as well as something within her stirring.

Similarly, Michael's newly acquired prefect badge emitted the same light but not as intensely as hers.

Hermione knew it was the castle's magic, making her emotions more stable, and her mind less clouded. She's read something about this, but this only happened during the earliest years of Hogwarts, when dark wizards wanted to take this castle as their own when the Founders were away.

Her fellow students looked at her for guidance. Michael who was attending to Luna's injury, Terry who was trying to placate a near-panicking Lisa, Su Li who was looking at her expectantly, and Justin who was trying to lighten the moods of the obviously terrified first and second years.

These people were… she sighed.

"Okay, everyone, here's what we'll do."

0-0-0-0-0

The Three Broomsticks (roughly that same time)

While all of Hermione's attempts to send out signals out from the castle were thwarted, Madam Pomfrey's stunt with Hermione's badge definitely let out a few curious anomalies to the world outside. The castle's magic was strong enough to pierce through the barrier surrounding the castle to include the badges of the other prefects. Unfortunately, the hole the castle's magic had destroyed immediately fixed itself, only having enough time to warn only the few of the already few upper year prefects.

Neville Longbottom was sipping Butterbeer with his girlfriend, Hannah Abbot, when he noticed Hannah's prefect badge emitting an eerie glow. "Hannah…" he was about to point it out when Hannah noticed the same thing happening with _his_ prefect badge.

"What's going on?" Susan Bones, who was 'chaperoning' the two lovebirds, asked, noticing that the simple 'P' of the badge was now accompanied by two swords crossed together behind their House's animal.

In a nearby table, Lavender Brown was chatting with Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan. The scar that ran down from her left eye to her left cheek left gave her some difficulty in not only seeing, her left eye was permanently closed now, but her speech was a bit dampened. Pronouncing _s_ never really sounded the same and her '_r'_s were said with difficulty every now and then.

"I still can't believe they chose _you_ as the prefect, Parv,"she teased, pointing at the badge that Parvati seems to never take off.

"Well, what choice does professor McGonagall have? With Hermione taking the Head Girl position, that left her with just two choices. And it was pretty much a no-brainer." Dean joked before taking a swig from his Butterbeer.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lavender asked. She looked at him in fake anger when she noticed Parvati's badge glow.

Lavender caught sight of Neville in another table, and he too, was staring at his glowing badge. Sensing something was amiss, the both stood up at the same time. She grabbed her friend's arm and nearly dragged Parvati to the male prefect.

"Any idea what's going on?" She was a little battle-hardened now. After staring at death, fighting in a war, and being clawed by one of the most notorious werewolves on the planet, it was pretty inevitable. Sure, she'd get giggly over fashion magazines, but she's come to realize that there were more important things than that now.

Neville saw that Parvati's badge also changed. "I'm honestly not sure."

He saw Dean and Seamus go to him, eyes full of uneasiness. Hannah and Susan also looked bothered. Also, five sixth year, as well as three fifth prefects from different houses came to him, their faces anxious and growing increasingly worried, their badges different from when they came in the inn.

"Maybe we should… check up on everyone?"


	6. Chapter 6

-168 to HOUR 00

He had waited for this chance since the downfall of that dark idiot. Hypocrite too, spouting all those pureblood agenda with him being a half-blood himself. He had planned for this since the beginning of the Forefather's downfall. And while the _historics_ and the technicalities regarding him being involved with such a plan is somewhat sketchy, it's not like he'll be the one to do the actual havoc wreaking. He'll just play the dutiful part as the _concitor._

In the middle of the night, in a rumbustious pub in non-magical Ireland, he waited. Quite amusing, how the people with no magic can do with their imagination. They were more creative than the people _with _magic. And her mum used to say that the great magicians were the inventive ones. The regular patrons were halfway drunk, noisy, and shouting at a black box that showed a moving picture of a group of men running around a clearing. He, being pretty well-informed about non-magicals' culture (and nothing like the pathetic droll Hogwarts was teaching to its students), knew the television was playing rugby, knew that the people here were as engrossed to the sport as a wizard was to his Quidditch, but he was never really sporty himself, and didn't see the point to it.

The entrance of the pub opened, and in came a lithe-looking female. A raven-haired young woman, not too tall, but not too short either. He knew her by her reputation. Raising his glass of soda, to him they were more addicting than Butterbeer, she saw it and made a beeline for his table.

"I was told the wolves sing when they see the messenger arrive." Her voice was silky, alluring too if she wanted it to be, but just like her appearance, easily forgettable. But he knew better, that being forgettable was her specialty. One of the best in her field: espionage.

"Yeah? But the all-seeing owl knows better than to let them have their way."

A code. With it cracked, their contact has been established. The two secretly brought out their wands, wands that couldn't be tracked by most magical ministries, and each casted their own version of silencing charms. For they never knew if they were being listened too.

"Are we waiting for someone?" she asked, motioning the barkeep for a drink.

"Three others." And that was the last thing they talked about as they sipped their drinks in a tense but friendly silence.

Three minutes, and while the game was in a commercial break, a guy took a seat on an unoccupied seat in the table. He had a very peculiar tattoo just below his right eye, the true symbol of the thirteenth zodiac. The two looked at him as the man flashed a smile and a runic symbol on his palm. Quickly, the two discreetly brought out their wants, and touched the tip on the man's palm.

"Pretty obvious there with the silencing charms." He grinned, the running his palm over his unruly sandy hair. "Granted, they were modified well, but to someone like… _me_, well, it's pretty obvious." He looked at the woman, "Nice job you've done with the spell formula, replacing the crest of Medea with the _rho_ of Titaness in the cyan matrix."

The woman just rolled her eyes and sipped her ale quietly, but to the experienced eye, like her two companions, she had her wand threateningly pointed to their new companion. If this man can see her magical signatures on her _modified_ spells, then this man was definitely not to be messed with.

"Play nice, the two of you." The first man said.

The sandy-haired man and the black-haired woman nodded, but not before the young man sticking out his tongue childishly at the woman, and the young woman rolling her eyes condescendingly.

"So, what does a psycho like you want with two heretics?" the young man asked. "My, your hair is really white, and you look like you're just my age. Had too much stress during school there, my friend?" he tried to touch the man's hair but before he could, the man grabbed his arm. "Okay, I'll stop now."

The young man's eyes wandered around, "But seriously, what do you want with the southern assassin's guild's best and the world's most annoying vagabond?"

The young woman looked at the white-haired youth expectantly too.

"I know that you're not really a vagabond, mister minstrel." The white-haired man smiled pleasantly at the man across his table, "You who's wanted by the entire Per Ankh sect because you not only successfully replicated their Rosetta Stone perfectly, down to its mathematical composition, you sold all of its copies in the black market. How do those non-magical grifters call it? A perfectly executed Mona Lisa scam?" he nodded to himself, "yeah, that. I hear the scribes are currently arguing if they recently found the right one again."

The young man laughed, "Egyptians…" he brought out a small thermos from his pocket and uncapped it, "You know, they're staler than the Ministry here, and that's saying something. Taking their traditionalism to the extreme. Twenty years from now, they'll be just as, what do the English magicians call it? Squib? Yeah, squib. They'll be all just squibs. Or mediocre magicians. Pity, the Iskandar line produced some of the best thinkers in my field, but they'd rather just stay disgustingly traditional. No innovation. No vision. Truly a-"

The two just let the man rant. The woman drank her drink before saying, "you haven't exactly answered the original question."

The white-haired man tilted his glass, "let's just wait for the other two, shall we?"


	7. Chapter 7

11:43AM – -17 to HOUR 00

"Let me sum up what everyone wants to say: just what the bloody hell is going on?" Seamus hissed.

The Floo system to the school was somehow down, and none of their efforts of sending messages to their castle were getting through (their respective patroni simply exploded into a flash of light, their owls simply dropped or refused to pick their letters, and, to explain it properly, the floo network simply spit them out of where they originally were when they tried to use it from different households, were some of those many failures) and now, as they tried to their fourth secret passage to get into the castle, most of the students accompanying Neville were getting agitated.

"This better work." Lavender Brown huffed, her scowl looking a little scarier with her scar. She tried to apparate a place near the castle not covered by anti-apparition wards only to end up bouncing back and getting slammed into a nearby wall.

"The phenomena that is happening with these secret passages simply baffles me." Morag McDougal said, adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses as it slipped again from her nose. "In theoretical runeology, it is said that such phenomena can only happen if-"

Neville sighed, he was surely regretting his decision of accepting _everyone_'_s_ company after he voiced out his concerns regarding the castle. He should've just let those from the D.A. accompany him, not every freaken person who heard him. He looked to the side, and saw most of his yearmates plus some lower years. What surprised was that there were five Slytherins accompanying him; the sickly Theodore Nott, the two Greengrass sisters and some two lower year snakes who he doesn't know. Well, if they hadn't bumped into each other after going through secret passage way number three at Honeydukes, then the snakes wouldn't even be here. But, they were aware of what's happened to their (Nott and the older Greengrass) prefect badges, and knew that one way or another, there was some trouble going on in the school

"Mor, I know we're friends and all, but if you don't shut up, I am not above silencing you." Mandy Brocklehurst told the muggleborn witch, her changed prefect badge glinting through Neville's _lumos_. They were on the secret passage that went from the shrieking shack to the school grounds, since most of the passages that lead directly to the castle was... erm... unaccessible.

Though they somehow managed to apparate between the secret passages, but going _into_ the castle was another topic entirely. Actually, whenever they tried to pass through some point in the passage, or directly into the castle, they were spitted out like there was a portal between them.

"But Mandy," Morag tilted her head, tucking a strand of her black hair under her ear, "The theory made by Fred Almsay stated that-" she stopped because Neville dropped his _lumos_ and the corridor went black, but not before placing his forefinger over his lips.

They heard it alright. Footsteps. At least a dozen of them. And Neville was immediately thinking of every single scenario and contingency. Fortunately, the footsteps were going away from them.

When the footsteps were gone, Neville took that as their chance and relit his wand, because either those same footsteps were from other Hogwarts students (which were unlikely since only a handful of people know of this _specific_ secret passage) or they were the bad people who has set their trap for them.

"Well that's weird." Neville looked at Padma Patil, who had her wand raised.

"What's weird, sis?" Parvati asked.

"Something's wrong with the wards." Padma told them, she raised her charm bracelet, "This is an enchanted bracelet from India. These beads here," she pointed to a clear tear-shaped bead on it, "changes color when you're under protective wards. Parents give this to their children so they can tell if they've strayed too far from their home."

"So what are those beads telling us?" Dean asked.

"Nothing." Padma said. "That there are no wards. Specifically the protective, anti-intruder ones."

Daphne crossed her arms, "So that means that either the wards are down, which is unlikely since that's at least 12 security breaches on the school charter on student safety, and no one in the school has the authority and power to take down the wards since the headmistress and deputy headmaster is not present in the castle, or the castle wards have been destroyed."

"Or is in the process of being destroyed." Mandy Brocklehurst leaned on the passage wall, her prefect badge glinting as she moved, "So there really is trouble going on in the school."

Nevill looked at everyone. Despite their large numbers, less than half of the people here have fought in a magical match, and only a handful of those people have participated in the Final Battle two years ago. He knew their safety came first, "Let's split into two groups."

0-0-0-0-0

Ministry of Magic (roughly that same time)

Susan Bones knew the ministry inside and out; she used to go here all the time when she was little, accompanying her aunt when she got bored staying at home. She had played archeologist more than, once trying to map out the entire building. Most of the people there still knew her, but they were surprised to actually see her right _now_ seeing as it was in the middle of the school year.

"I need to see the Headmistress, Steve," Susan said hurriedly to the unseen receptionist at the entrance from the floo network.

"S-susan?

"It's urgent." Hannah, who accopmanied her friend, added as she dusted her clock from the floo dust.

Steve, the receptionist, knew Susan was very much like her late aunt, a no-nonsense woman who didn't joke about things. While Susan was a bit chirpier and wilder than her aunt, she had inherited the apparent Bones trait of always going into the ministry with some urgent business. Looking now, the young Susan resembled the late Edgar and Amelia Bones.

"Okay... Here are your passes."

They nodded, thanked the receptionist and proceeded to run to the Magical Education Department of the ministry building, giving out hasty greetings to those who recognized Susan.

When they burst into the room, Headmistress McGonagall's face was turned into that of shock, "Miss Bones."

Both out of breath, Hannah unpinned her prefect badge and handed it to Susan, who threw it to their deputy headmaster, Flitwick. The deminutive professor caught it gracefully, "This is..."

The headmistress looked at her deputy, "What is it, Filius?"

Filius Flitwick handed it to her, and for the first time in two years, Susan saw the headmistress's face turn dark.

"This happened just a few minutes ago." Susan told the aged woman, her breath now normal.

Hannah Abbot stood upright, "We came as soon as we could."

0-0-0-0-0

Great Hall (roughly that same time)

Hermione had instructed the others to have their wands ready incase any of the interlopers were lurking around. Winky, Su Li and Michael were instructed to stay behind, with Michael and Winky helping madam Pomfrey take care of the injured, and Su keeping a warding charm on the room incase any intruders decided to go to the infirmary. Truthfully, she would've felt better with leaving either Justin or Terry with them since they seemed to have the ability to palactate the first and second year 'Claws there, but Lisa had voice out that they would be up against experienced duelists.

Another thing that strikes her odd was how willing she was with letting the two boys accompany her. While she knew nothing of their ability in dueling aside from their participation in the final war, she knew they were at least capable, _but_ she would be very against them accompanying her. They're safety came first after all. If it wasn't for the spell enchanted by Madam Pomfrey, Hermione would've vehemently disagreed with them and let them stay behind. But the properties of the spell, she knew, at least on a psychological aspect, made Hermione, or the Head Students', latent or un-latent leadership and strategic skills stronger. By tenfolds at least; it made the Ravenclaws more intelligent, Gryffindors more courageos and Slytherins more cunning, or basically capable peons for the Badgers... as it made the Hufflepuffs more leader-like (seeing as Helga Hufflepuff designed the spell herself, and she's just biased like that). Which explains Justin, usually pacifist Justin, behaving like a Gryffindor.

"It's too quiet." Terry whispered. Their tapping footsteps felt like thundering troll steps as they made haste for the school's magical core.


End file.
